Paul’s Story: Living better with medical cannabis during cancer treatment

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your health journey?

Sure. I've been a cancer sufferer since the 25th of August 2022 - it's a day I remember well. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer, which has been treated in various ways over the last two and a half years. Initially, I initially underwent chemotherapy and later had a 10-hour operation in April 2023. They removed part of my descending colon, parts of my omentum, and ablated some cancer spots in my liver. I also received HIPEC Chemotherapy during the surgery.

The operation left me with a colostomy, which was not something I was expecting at 60 years of age. I was thinking about early retirement, but cancer had other plans - and is still having its ‘wicked way’ with me.

After the initial operation, I had two further operations. They went in and had another look at my liver and removed more cancer from that organ, and also removed a large cancerous lump from my left flank. The net result is that I've ended up with a great deal of abdominal pain, brought on by the operations and the Cancer. That pain is with me, day in, and day out. 

I've had to stop working. I was a Major Loss Adjuster, working mainly for insurance companies. I had a good role, and being unable to continue with work has had a major negative impact on me. Having to stop work was not what I was anticipating, and came as quite a rude shock. 

I thought I'd had a good five or six years left in me before I wanted to retire, but unfortunately, that just wasn't the case. What it has done is it's allowed me to continue to be mobile, which means I can continue to enjoy my hobbies. I've got a collection of vintage cars which I love working on and driving, and my medical cannabis prescription has really made it possible to continue doing these things I love.

How did you initially learn about medical cannabis and Releaf?

I've used cannabis recreationally in the past, but had never really given it much thought from a medical perspective until I came across a Releaf advert on Facebook and thought, “Well, let's investigate this then and see what the fuss is about”. 

And I am so thankful that I did.

Since becoming a Releaf patient, I've come to realise that medical cannabis provides pain relief that is like no other pain relief treatment option I have taken to date. 

I used to commonly manage my pain with paracetamol, ibuprofen, and very occasionally, codeine. I don't like codeine, it just knocks me flat, makes me feel horrible, and puts me to sleep. But now, since I’ve joined Releaf, I’ve found medical cannabis works, it just removes the pain from around the operation sites. I mainly take it in the evening, and I take it in place of ibuprofen and paracetamol.

Has medical cannabis changed your reliance on other medications?

My prescribed medical cannabis has enabled me to cut down my reliance and daily usage on paracetamol by more than half. I still use paracetamol during the daytime, but in the evening, the medical cannabis takes over - and it does a fantastic job. 

Overall, how have you found your experience with Releaf? 

From the very beginning, the experience has been nothing short of excellent. 

I've been really impressed that Releaf employs quality medical professionals. Each time I get referred to someone by Releaf, I look them up online to see who they are, and they’ve all been super impressive. 

The first doctor I spoke with, Dr. Sunil Arora, is a consultant anaesthetist down in Southampton. He’s a proper, experienced guy. I asked him how it works, and he said there’s not enough research done to fully explain how cannabis relieves pain, but he did confirm that you need the THC and the terpenes that all combine to provide the pain relief. 

Dr. Arora originally prescribed me three types of flower and oil, but after a more recent follow-up consultation, I’ve now got a couple of new flower options and another oil. They all work differently, and I'm extremely happy with the results. 

How would you describe the medical cannabis flower and oil you have been prescribed?

There's a description of cannabis that I have heard in the past - “high grade, top shelf” flower. I honestly feel that the flower I am being prescribed from Releaf is better than high grade. It’s top, top, ‘high grade’. It’s obviously been carefully cultivated and nurtured specifically for therapeutic applications.

I thought it’d just be substituting pharmaceutical pain pills for medical cannabis, but that’s definitely not the case. Prescription cannabis is completely different from what I have seen before. With paracetamol, you’re left wondering if it’s working, and then 30 minutes later, the pain subsides. With medical cannabis, I feel relief within 10 minutes. It lasts two to three hours, and the tail-off is much gentler and slower than paracetamol.

The cannabis flower being offered to Releaf patients is the best that I have ever seen. You can tell when you open a jar of flower that it’s really great quality. The oil is also very impressive.

If I’m using oil, it slowly comes in and the pain subsides. With my preferred flower cultivar, I get a “two stage” experience. The first vape of it releases the pain and gives me a slight tingling sensation around my abdomen. Then, a couple of hours later, the second vape completely removes the pain. It’s fantastic. I find that if I take it in the evening, it has a longer lasting effect in terms of pain relief than paracetamol would the next day. There is also a tail to the next day of pain relief - it just works.

It also helps me sleep, which is something I have struggled with for a long time. I wake up in the morning feeling refreshed, ready to go again. It has so many benefits for me, especially boosting my quality of life. 

Do you find that the cannabis you have been prescribed is different to the cannabis you’ve tried in the past?

It’s completely different from the stuff I have previously tried, before becoming a Releaf patient.  Some street cannabis makes you feel hazy for half an hour, but this is different. It’s very focused on delivering pain relief.

One big change for me has been not smoking my prescribed cannabis. I’ve smoked spliffs since I was a teenager, but vaping has been an absolute game-changer. 

The first Releaf doctor told me to stop using tobacco and just vape or use oil. That advice has been revolutionary for me. It’s changed everything. I think vaping makes the pain relief work quicker, possibly because you’re taking it directly rather than mixing it with the horrible stuff in tobacco.

Have you spoken to anyone regarding your medical cannabis use?

Yes, and I have had some mixed responses.

My wife has been fully engaged and supportive of my choice to add medical cannabis to my treatment plan. Sometimes she’ll tell me, “Have a vape and sort yourself out” when I’m sat on the sofa in pain. Friends and family have been really supportive as well. Most of them are amazed that medical cannabis even exists and is legal here in the UK, and are really surprised when I tell them that it has been here since 2018. 

Even my 90 year-old father, who has always been against drugs, has come around. To him, cannabis has always been part of the ‘60s drug culture - something to avoid. But when I explained it to him properly, he said, “Okay, I can understand that.”. For him to say that is a big step, considering his previous views and the stigma cannabis has been subject to during his lifetime. 

What frustrates me is the responses I’ve had from other medical professionals outside of Releaf. 

I still have cancer tumours in my bowel. When I tell the doctors I take ibuprofen, paracetamol, and medical cannabis, they just say, “Oh, you take CBD?” I say, “No, medical cannabis. It’s much more than just CBD” 

But the doctors I have spoken with outside of Releaf just don’t understand it. They seem to turn their back on it, and instantly discount it. It’s really frustrating. 

I’ve been a Releaf patient for about ten months, and being with Releaf has validated everything I’ve known about the plant. However, when I talk to medical professionals about it, they don’t understand. There’s a big divide, and I wish they did understand it better.

I shouldn’t have to advocate for my preferred treatment. This is healthcare at the end of the day. They won’t even comment on whether it’s good or bad for me. I know it’s good because I feel the immense pain relief, but they don’t take it into account when considering my overall treatment. It’s a real shame how the wider medical community seems to view the potential of medical cannabis, but hopefully that changes soon.

 In part, that’s why I’m sharing my story.